The Atlantan daughter of Grand Prix dressage parents and owners of Collecting Gaits Farm, title sponsor of USEF Pony Finals, Kat was riding almost before she could walk. Her first horses, a miniature horse name Buttercup and her baby, Nutterbutter, were a present for her first birthday.
Kat grew up at the barn and began competing at the age of five. She learned to jump with Mindy Darst a well known hunter/jumper judge and trainer who welcomed Kat as one of her few students to teach at 2014 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) season. Kat earned multiple championships on Hillcrest Blue Gemstone in cross rails. Mindy laid out a multi year training plan for Kat to compete in the hunter/jumper circuit before sadly passing away that year.
Kat with Olympic Dressage Bronze Medalist Michelle Gibson.
For the next three years Kat traveled to compete at WEF in Wellington, FL and Lexington, KY under the tutelage of top national trainers Amanda Lyerle, Charles Moorcroft, Bibby Farmer Hill, Liz Riley and Jenny Darst winning over 50 Championships on her string of ponies. For cross training, family friends Olympic dressage bronze medalist Michelle Gibson and National Grand Prix dressage champion Jason Canton regularly train Kat at home in Atlanta.
In Fall of 2017 Kat hired Michael Newman, top national Hunter/Jumper trainer and international judge to take over the reins in pursuit of national titles. Kat brought out her first Junior Hunter Horse RS Levitation winning her first Junior Hunter Division 3’6” Championships against all ages. With High Noon 3E, Kat won third in the country at Harrisburg for $10,000 NAL Children’s Hunter National Title. Michael trained Kat & Goldhill’s Arresting Charm to sixth for the prestigious win at Washington in the National Pony Medal. Having ridden horses for less than eight months, many say at ten years old Kat is beyond her years in feel and talent in the sport and definitely a rising star.
Kat is in the sport to win and one day make it to the biggest competition of all, the Olympics. During her journey, she enjoys making friends all over the country and loves to care and play with her ponies and horses. Kat strives to be a horsewoman putting her animals first in all instances over competitions. She goes to a regular school during the week and loves French and Math. Foot jumping is her next favorite thing to do when she’s not riding.
Career Highlights
2017
- Atlanta In The Fall, Junior Hunter 3’6″ Champion with RS Levitation
- Atlanta In The Fall, Junior Hunter Classic, First with RS Levitation
- Atlanta In The Fall, Large Pony Hunter Champion with Chic In Time
- Atlanta In The Fall, Medium Pony Hunter Champion with Captain America
- Atlanta In The Fall, Small Medium Pony Hunter Champion with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- $10,000 NAL Children’s Hunter National Title at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Third with High Noon 3E
- Washington International Horse Show National Pony Medal, Sixth with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Chattahoochee Classic, Junior Hunter Division Champion with High Noon 3E, Reserve Champion with RS Levitation
- Chattahoochee Classic, Small/Medium Pony Hunter Champion with Captain America, Reserve Champion with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Bill Russell Memorial Benefit Show, Large Pony Hunter Champion with Chic In Time
- Bill Russell Memorial Benefit Show, Small/Medium Pony Championship with Finesse RF, Reserve Champion with Captain America
- Bill Russell Memorial Benefit Show, Champion Children’s Hunter with High Noon 3E
- Bill Russell Memorial Benefit Show, First Pony Classic with Captain America
- USEF Pony Finals Presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Fifth Place USEF Pony Medal with Captain America
- USEF Pony Finals Presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Sixteenth Over Fences, Seventh in Model, Second in Under Saddle and Eighth Overall in the Large Green Pony Hunter Championship with Chic In Time
- $1,500 USHJA Pony Derby, First with Captain America, Second with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm, Fourth with Finesse RF, and Tenth with Chic In Time
- Old Atlanta Classic II, Fourth National Hunter Derby with High Noon 3E
- Old Atlanta Classic II, Second Children’s Hunter Classic and Second Over Fences with High Noon 3E
- Old Atlanta Classic II, Pony Hunter Classic: First Captain America, Second Chic in Time, Third Somekindawonderful, Fourth Goldhill’s Arresting Charm and Fifth Hillcrest Leading Lady
- Old Atlanta Classic II Double Champion for Green Large and Large Pony Divisions with Chic in Time
- Old Atlanta Classic II Champion Medium, Champion Pony Derby, and Winner of the Washington (WIHS) with Captain America and Reserve Medium with Somekindawonderful
- Old Atlanta Classic II Small Pony Champion Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- USHJ Children’s Hunter South Regional Team Championships Bronze Medal with High Noon 3E
- Devon First Place $2500 Medium Pony Over Fences Confirmation with Captain America
- Devon Reserve Under Saddle and Reserve Hunter Stake with Captain America
- Devon Eighth Place Medium Pony Model with Captain America
- Devon Fourth Place $2500 Small Pony Hunter Over Fences with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Devon Sixth Place $3000 Pony Hunter Stake with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Qualified Goldhill’s Arresting Charm and Captain America for Devon
- Louisiana Spring Classic First Childrens Hunter Over Fences with High Noon 3E
- Louisiana Spring Classic Champion of Pony Classic with Finesse RF
- Louisiana Spring Classic Small Division Champion with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Louisiana Spring Classic Medium Division Champion with Captain America
- WEF Circuit Champion Large Pony Hunter with Chic In Time
- WEF Circuit Champion Equitation with High Noon 3E
- WEF10 Champion Medium Pony Hunter with Small Suggestion
- Deeridge $2,500 Pony Derby Champion with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm, Second with Somekindawonderful
- WEF9 $10,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby Champion with High Noon 3E
- WEF9 $5,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Champion with Somekindawonderful
- WEF8 Reserve Champion Equitation 11 & Under with High Noon 3E
- WEF7 Reserve Champion Equitation 11 & Under with High Noon 3E
- WEF6 Champion 11 & Under Equitation with High Noon 3E
- WEF6 First Medium Pony Handy Hunter with Captain America
- WEF5 First Small Pony Handy Hunter with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- WEF4 Champion Large Pony Hunter with Chic In Time
- WEF 4 Reserve Champion Equitation 11 & Under with High Noon 3E
- WEF3 Champion Equitation 11 & Under with High Noon 3E
- WEF3 Champion Low Childrens Hunter with High Noon 3E
- WEF3 Reserve Champion Medium Pony Hunter with Somekindawonderful
- Champion $5000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby The Ridge at Wellington with Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Reserve Champion 11 & Under Equitation with Captain America at Wellington ESP Holiday Finale
- WEF1 Reserve Champion 11 & Under Equitation with Captain America
- WEF2 First Medium Pony Conformation Hunter with Captain America
2016
- WEF Champion Medium Pony Division Hillcrest Leading Lady
- WEF Champion Small Pony Division Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- WEF Reserve Circuit Champion for 11 and under Equitation
- WEF Reserve Champion Small Pony Division Powder Puff
- WEF $5000 Pony Hunter Derby Champion Small Pony Goldhill’s Arresting Charm
- Aiken Reserve Champion Small & Medium Pony Divisions Goldhill’s Arresting Charm & Finesse RF
- Kentucky multiple ribbons on all ponies, first at WIHS for equitation
- Competed USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Goldhill’s Arresting Charm & and Hillcrest Leading Lady
- Two Seconds Over Fences on Two Medium Ponies Captain America & Somekindawonderful WHIS
- Middleburg VA Classic Champion on Small Suggestion
- Competed at Indoor Circuit 2016
- Won all Pony classes GHJA Finals & named Best Child Rider on a Pony in Georgia
- GHJA year end awards Champion 11< under Equitation, Champion for Small Pony on Goldhill’s Arresting Charm, Champion Medium Pony Finesse RF
2015
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- WEF Champion Small Pony Division Powder Puff
- WEF Champion Small Pony Division Rafael
- WEF multiple ribbons Small Pony Division Firefly
- Six Champions in Atlanta Small Pony Division Powder Puff
- Competed USEF Pony Finals Powder Puff
- GHJA Year End Champion for 11< under Equitation
- Gold & Silver Medalist of Southeast Pony Finals on Powder Puff & Our Song
2014
- WEF Championships on Hillcrest Blue Gemstone Crossrails
- Multiple ribbons in Kentucky Horse Shows on Rommel’s Uncontested Short Stirrup
- Competed USEF Pony Finals with Penny Lane
- Georgia Hunter Jumper Ass. (GHJA) shows earned three Championships with Powder Puff for Short Stirrup
- GHJA earned multiple ribbons with All Aboard Children’s Hunter
Kat Fuqua 